"As new labour codes spark a row, a look at rise and fall of trade unions in India", 24 Nov 2025

Ten central trade unions condemn “unilateral” implementation of “anti-worker, pro-employer” labour codes, calling for a nationwide protest on November 26, even as RSS-affiliated BMS welcomes them.

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More than five years after being cleared by Parliament, four labour codes covering wages, industrial relations, social security and working conditions were notified by the BJP-led Centre for implementation last Friday. These codes, replacing 29 Central labour laws, seek to modernise labour regulations, ease compliance burden, widen the social security net for workers, including gig and platform workers, boost female labour force participation and bring fixed-term employees on par with permanent employees. The government is also going to start the process of framing rules for the codes soon. Welcoming their implementation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the codes as “one of the most comprehensive and progressive labour-oriented reforms since Independence”. However, the Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, have targeted the government over the issue, questioning the effectiveness of the codes in “ensuring justice for workers”. Ten central trade unions (CTUs), in a joint statement, condemned the “blatantly unilateral implementation of anti-worker, pro-employer labour codes”. Parliament passed the Code on Wages in July-August 2019. Three other labour reform Bills — the Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code — were passed by both Houses of Parliament in September 2020 amid a boycott by the Opposition parties, which were protesting the suspension of eight MPs for the remainder of the monsoon session for “unruly behaviour”.

..Ten CTUs, including those affiliated to various Opposition parties – the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) – have condemned the “blatantly unilateral” implementation of “anti-worker, pro-employer” labour codes, calling it the Union government’s “deceptive fraud” against the working class people. The protesting unions have flagged changes related to hire and fire, retrenchment, fixed-term employment, and curtailment of the right to strike.

.. Several experts point to the gaps between what the new labour laws intend to do and their application on the ground. Some of them also believe that trade unions may also push back by demanding the implementation of the codes in letter and spirit.